Quorum Court looks at disposing some county properties

Cleburne County Quorum Court gave their recommendations for several properties owned by the county

Lorie Mink

The Economic Evaluation Committee of the Cleburne County Quorum Court gave their recommendations for several properties owned by the county during the April regular meeting of the Quorum Court.

The committee recommended moving the County Road Department to a different location due to the current building being located by a creek, lack of parking, and a previous approved appropriation to purchase a suitable property.

They also recommended purchasing the Vulcan property as a place to move the road department to. According to the committee, the Vulcan property has facilities that would more than surpass the purchase price, other options investigated by the committee were not cost effective based on building of facilities, ADEQ has already inspected the property and approved the location, and the location is central.

The committee also discussed the old Dugger house, which, according to the committee, has very little value but the property could serve as an additional parking area.

The committee recommended the County Judge execute an asbestos survey immediately on the Lakeland Lodge property. Depending on the survey results, the committee advises the property should be sold as is or the county should demolish the building, clean the lots and list the property to sell.

The committee also suggested the County Judge order appraisals on the old OES building and the Municipal Building so the properties can be listed and sold.

A motion was made and passed unanimously to table the first three suggestions and begin moving forward with the asbestos survey and liquidation process of the properties stated.

In other business, representatives of the residents of Miller Point Road and Diamond Bluff came before the Justices of Peace with concerns about the roads.

According to the residents, a petition was made and signed by residents of Miller Point Road and Diamond Bluff addressing two concerns, the damage caused to the roads by the gas and oil trucks since the original paving and the lack of painted lines on the roads. According to one representative, many will not drive on the roads during foggy conditions because there is no visible striping on the roads.

According to the representative, in the last three years since drilling began, three houses have sold in distress sales of less than 60 percent of their value due to the noise, lights, and constant traffic by the gas and oil industry. This is also keeping prospective buyers out of the area, part of this being the traffic and road conditions. The area is highly populated and the road damage is not just a pothole here and there.

The Justices agreed to look into the situation and have a report ready for the next meeting.

Justices passed an ordinance to add the new courtroom appropriations to the 2012 budget, which were inadvertently left off the original document.

They also passed an ordinance appropriating $20,000 in the circuit court automation fund and also $500 in the drug court program fund.

A resolution was passed to designate the district court as the primary location to collect fines.

A motion was made and passed to have an ordinance drawn up to set the hours of the county offices back to five days a week beginning June 7.